The Hilltop Institute, under agreement with the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, has developed a Health Care Reform Simulation Model. The simulation model projects enrollment in the various health care coverage programs mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). It also projects increases in health care expenditures and estimates the economic impact of implementing the ACA on the state of Maryland through fiscal year (FY) 2020.

The simulation model projects the flow of new funds through the state economy resulting from the provision of health care coverage to newly insured individuals. Furthermore, the simulation model uses a standard economic analysis technique to forecast additional economic activity that will be generated from implementing the ACA.